Passion. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think about Steve Costanzo and Moira Hyland. Passion. It’s passion that took them away from corporate America to follow their dreams when a spot opened up at 934 Hope Street where Bella Luna used to be. When they both checked out the spot, they fell madly in love and knew that they were destined to be the owners.

So, I need to introduce you to both owners of Olio (opening July 5) before I can go on. Moira went for culinary training at The Natural Gourmet Institute so she could understand cooking, techniques, and so that she would understand the ins and outs of the restaurant biz. Her personality bubbles over and you get the sense that she’s take charge, gives her all, and is very proud of her work. Steve is this way, too, and they mesh well together. In fact, they often refer to each other as family. Moira says here and there that Steve samples too many dishes and Steve states that she annoyingly steals all of his fries when they are eating. Steve, I know what that’s like…Kristien is also a thief. You get the feeling that they are like brother and sister, loving each other but also ribbing and goading each other.

As for Steve, he has had an interesting career. He began by delivering food and one of his stops just happened to be a catering business. One day he asked if they needed any help chopping or prepping meals. He left his job, began cooking and his love of food grew and blossomed. Steve soon found himself sautéing, flambéing, baking, cooking, and grilling at the New York Restaurant School in Manhattan.

The Food

Now, onto Olio. At first, I had visions in my head of another Italian restaurant in Stamford, but I was wrong. Actually, Olio means “a dish of many different ingredients” in Spanish. It’s no coincidence that a Spanish name was chosen by Steve’s daughter because the menu has big, bold flavors from Latino cuisine. You’ve got fresh fruits like cassava and avocado and dishes such as a carnitas torta and beef short ribs with ancho chili tomato confit. One of the dishes that he just added to the menu is a slow braised pork shoulder served over crispy plantains, served with pickled red onions and coriander. He also has planned out a killer homemade ricotta gnocchi that promises to be light as air, strewn with lumps of lobsters, sprinkled with shallots, and bathed in a luscious brandy tomato cream sauce. There are vegetarian options, too, don’t fret: there’s a zucchini roulade for example. He’ll lightly slice the zucchini, then put farmers ricotta, lemon, and plum tomato confit on top, then roll it up. Ah, that just screams out summer, just screams out fresh. Feel like seeing the full menu? Steve was kind enough to share it with us, just check it out at the end of the post.

Speaking of the menu, Steve and Moira will be keeping it small and manageable. The advantages of this? Steve will be able to add in flare and creative dishes with specials. Also, this will help Olio to create new menus as the seasons change, drawing from local sources whenever possible. They’ll be starting off with lunch and dinner and will move in a killer brunch when they get into their stride. Think some time around August.

The Drinks

The day I went to visit Olio was the same day that their wine distributor came by and let them sample some fun and unique wines. Good news for you, Omnomivores: whereas some restaurants START their bottles at $32, Olio has made $32 their most expensive bottle. You’ll find bottles here that you can’t really find at your local shop, giving you a nice chance to explore and find a new favorite. They will also have some bottles and cans of beer for purchase.

Special Events

There will be wine and beer tastings from time to time for diners to take advantage of. When Steve and Moira find a new beer they like, they’ll snatch it up and put it on the menu. Also, keep both eyes and both ears out for their wine and beer dinners. There will also be cooking classes with Steve from time to time, so you can learn to cook like he does. Finally, they plan to have educational and interactive events based around a central local ingredient or product.

So excited for Olio to come into the neighborhood. Was so disappointed to see Bella Luna close but looking forward to welcome this newcomber soon! And at no more than $32 a bottle for wine, how can we go wrong!

Yeah, Courtney…we’re there with you! We think this is what the neighborhood needs…nice, creative cuisine. We’ve got tons of bars and Italian spots nearby, so it’s nice to get some variety in. And, with wine that affordable, it’ll be a no-brainer.

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[…] idea to a fully working dynamo. We definitely had that kind of feeling when we came back to Olio, remembering when we first sat down with co-owners Moira Hyland and Chef Steve Costanzo. And, we remembered seeking shelter at Olio during Sandy when we had lost all power. But, it was […]

[…] distance of our home. Well, we are happy to say Olio has made it happen! Now if you remember from our last post announcing Olio, it is not Italian like you might think. Actually, it’s kind of hard to put your fork on what […]